self-governing British overseas territory in the western North Atlantic Ocean. It is an archipelago of 7 main islands and about 170 additional (named) islets and rocks, situated about 650 miles (1,050 km) east of Cape Hatteras (North Carolina, U.S.). Bermuda is neither geologically nor spatially associated with the West Indies, which lie more than 800 miles (1,300 km) to the south and southwest. The archipelago is about 24 miles (40 km) long and averages less than 1 mile (1.6 km) in width. The main islands are clustered together in the shape of a fishhook and are connected by bridges. The largest island is referred to as Main Island (14 miles [22.5 km] long and 1 mile wide). The Peak, at 259 feet (79 metres) on Main Island, is the highest point. The capital is Hamilton. Land The coral islands of Bermuda are composed of a layer 200 feet (60 metres) thick of marine limestone that caps an extinct and submerged volcanic mountain range rising more than 14,000 feet (4,300 metres) above the...